Cop Thinks Her Gun Is. Tazer, Black Man Is Dead

[reddog1951]

I feel for both the cop who seems to have made a lethal mistake in this case as well as the one killed.

My main issue in most similar incidents is that the officers seem to escalate the level of confrontation/violence. It would be smarter to try and de-escalate, especially if cuffed, and let the suspect (legally the case unless convicted and fleeing) tire out and submit. Why get into a physical confrontation over a traffic violation...probably have name and ID already...track them down later. I'm back to my "TRIGGERED" thesis on the Floyd thread.

Cops need to be trained on better composure for the good of us all.

[gnadfly]

You must be making judgements based on CNN newscasts. The perp had an outstanding warrant for illegally possessing a gun. The big black cop doesn't know how to use handcuffs. The perp resisted and fled back into his car. The cop who shot him said "OH SHIT" when she mistook her gun for a TASER.

Tucker showed a cop who was gunned down by a driver getting out of his car last night. The incident took less than 5 seconds.

Of course cops are nervous.

Of course, it's easier to blame the cops than the bad guys. The bad guys are up to date in their training. All the perp had to so was stay calm. Instead, Benjamin Crump will get his family a big check. His training paid off.

[GastonGlock]

Part of the problem is that some cops take the "respect mah authoritah!" mentality, and not all people cow to that. And they really don't like it when you don't cow to them.

What's the old saying?

Sometimes people use “respect” to mean “treating someone like a person” and sometimes they use “respect” to mean “treating someone like an authority”

And sometimes people who are used to being treated like an authority say “if you won’t respect me I won’t respect you” and they mean “if you won’t treat me like an authority I won’t treat you like a person”

[Jackie S]

I watched the video from the cops cameras.

Exactly what were the cops supposed to do when he tried to get back in his car and drive off?

The warrant was for a handgun violation. They knew this.

I guess the cops were supposed to let him get his gun so it would be a fair fight.

What a mess. Black cops, female cops, all on the scene. Female cop obviously panicked.

Burn, baby burn indeed.

[reddog1951]

Glock gets it. Cowboys should play football not be cops. Yes, their job is dangerous, but such mentality could endanger you or me, or one of our testosterone loaded kids. Not saying that was the case with the mistakenly drawn taser (if true). But, even mistakes have ramifications.

[HedonistForever]

Originally Posted by reddog1951

Glock gets it. Cowboys should play football not be cops. Yes, their job is dangerous, but such mentality could endanger you or me, or one of our testosterone loaded kids. Not saying that was the case with the mistakenly drawn taser (if true). But, even mistakes have ramifications.

If nobody resisted, the "cowboy" wouldn't come out. That is not to excuse what this female did but again NO RESIST, NO TAZER, NO GUN!

Has anybody heard one single Black person of authority tell their community to stop resisting arrest? Because I haven't and it doesn't take a brain at all to figure out, you don't resist, nobody gets shot.

I think we are fast approaching a time when nobody will want to be a cop. It will be interesting to see how many retire and quit in Maryland after their new laws go into effect.

https://www.baltimoresun.com/politic...vyq-story.html

Maryland legislators pass landmark police reform package into law, overriding Gov. Hogan’s vetoes

Officers who use excessive force will face additional criminal penalties, including up to 10 years in prison.

Trying to put handcuffs on a perp resisting arrest can easily be determined by bleeding heart Liberals to be excessive

[GastonGlock]

Originally Posted by HedonistForever

Trying to put handcuffs on a perp resisting arrest can easily be determined by bleeding heart Liberals to be excessive

Some jackass at the press conference in Brooklyn Center as imploring why they pulled the guy over and that it was bullshit to pull people over for expired registration tags.

My inner libertarian was like "yesssss, de-regulate the carrrrssss"

[gnadfly]

Originally Posted by HedonistForever

...

Has anybody heard one single Black person of authority tell their community to stop resisting arrest? Because I haven't and it doesn't take a brain at all to figure out, you don't resist, nobody gets shot.

...

This. But their family doesn't get a check if they don't get shot.

Originally Posted by GastonGlock

Some jackass at the press conference in Brooklyn Center as imploring why they pulled the guy over and that it was bullshit to pull people over for expired registration tags..

I didn't read HF's link but I'd wager the cops aren't pulling drivers over in Baltimore for expired tags. Not if they want to keep their jobs.

[reddog1951]

Curious. Was the outstanding warrant for a felony or misdemeanor?

[winn dixie]

Officer charged with manslaughter.

[pfunkdenver]

Originally Posted by winn dixie

Officer charged with manslaughter.

Well, she did kill the guy, didn't she?

[gnadfly]

Originally Posted by winn dixie

Officer charged with manslaughter.

I read 3rd degree manslaughter. Another excuse to keep the riots, hate and checks coming.

[winn dixie]

IMO I dont think she shouldve been charged at all.

[txdot-guy]

Originally Posted by winn dixie

IMO I dont think she shouldve been charged at all.

I have no problem with charging her.


Under Minnesota statutes, second degree manslaughter can apply in cases where someone has created “unreasonable risk” and kills another person through negligence. The maximum punishment for a conviction is 10 years in prison.

The manslaughter charge suggests that prosecutors concur with a version of events laid out by city officials, that Ms. Potter did not intend to kill Mr. Wright but had mixed up her weapons. Mr. Orput said state investigators had determined that Ms. Potter holstered her Taser on her left side and her gun on her right so she would need to use her left hand when pulling out her Taser; the investigators found, he said, that she used her right hand to draw her weapon on Sunday.

The real question is can the convince a jury she was negligent and what should her sentence be. Not the first time this has happened since officers started to carry tasers

In 2015 Eric Harris was shot by Tulsa County Reserve Deputy Robert Charles Bates, when he mistook his personal weapon with his taser. Bates was found guilty of manslaughter and sentenced to four years in prison.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2015_s...of_Eric_Harris

[Jackie S]

And of course, none of this would have ever happened if Mr Wright had simply complied with the officers instructions and submitted to arrest for and outstanding warrant on a weapons violation.

Which brings us to the question concerning our laws. We all remember the tragic case of the NY man who ended up dead because the initial encounter was his selling single smokes on the street corner. Why is this “against the law”. It is obviously “ against the law” for a reason.

I would think that a gun violation would be a serious matter. That is what the warrant in the Wright killing was for. But what lead to that. Why did the cops decide to run his plate to discover it was expired. Was it a case of.....”black man, he’s driving, let’s find a reason to get him”. Was the initial violation that lead to the subsequent events a case of “ Black man driving”?

I wonder how many of Mr Wrights family and friends knew he had a outstanding warrant ? And did any of them a warn him that he should get it taken care of?

These are all questions that should be asked. Do we have too many laws? Are cops not qualified to be armed and enforce these laws? If someone decides they do not want to be arrested, how far should the events escalate. Should the cops say...”we know where he lives”.

Of course, getting back to my original statement. None of this would have happened if My Wright would have simply complied.

And......How did we, as a society, get here?